Abstract This paper is about three sculptures of the Buddha image and how they have changed throughout different cultures and time periods. The paper begins with a discussion of a standing Buddha from India, which was where Buddhism began. It then moves on to two other countries, Tibet and Thailand, where Buddhism is still popular. The paper then explains how the people of these countries took what the Indians had done in their portrayal of the Buddha and made it their own, adding parts of their culture to the image. In regards to Thailand, there is a discussion about the Sukhothai walking Buddha, which was probably the most important image from that period. Then, the gold image from Tibet is discussed, which was very interested in the cosmic or Tantric form of Buddhism. The paper concludes by pointing out that the image has changed over time and cultures, but still enables us to know it's a Buddha image through the consistent characteristics given to the Buddha in sculpture.
Abstract This paper briefly compares and contrasts Hermann Hesse's treatment of the life and message of Buddha and the rise of Buddha Siddhartha with the treatment of these important matters as they are dealt with in an extensive article in the fifteenth volume of the Encyclopedia Britannica. Chiefly, the paper argues that Hesse's rendering of Buddha and of Buddhism is less historical and focuses upon Siddhartha Buddha as a Europeanized Byronic figure who eschews the disciples he allegedly had according to the surviving historical record.
Abstract The purpose of this paper is to introduce, discuss, and analyze the life story of Buddha. Specifically it discusses Buddha's life and how he attained the ultimate enlightenment. It looks at how Siddhartha Gautama is considered to be the Supreme Buddha (often called simply "the Buddha," or Buddha Shakyamuni) who created the Buddhist religion and how his life story is an interesting blend of wealth and privilege combined with great compassion and religious awareness. It discusses how he threw away all the rich trappings of his life to attain enlightenment and serve others and how his life shows the power of belief and spiritualism.
From the Paper "Buddha was born a prince to parents who were king and queen of Lumbini, which is located today in Nepal. One biographer notes, "The Buddha was born the son of a king, and so grew up with wealth, pleasure, and the prospect of power, all goods commonly desired by human beings" (Carrithers 2). It seemed the Buddha had everything he could possibly desire, but he still was not content. Even after his parents arranged a marriage for him, he felt as if there was something missing from his life. He married and even had a son, but still he wanted to do more than rule his kingdom and raise a family. Because he saw suffering in his father's kingdom and wanted to do something about it, he decided to leave his home and seek enlightenment and understanding so he could help end the suffering of the people of the world. "
Abstract This paper explains that Gotama, the Buddha, changed common perceptions in many ways because, at this time Buddhism, was essentially a new religion preceded by Hinduism based on the
Vedic teachings. The author points out that Gotama made Buddhism a religion by extending the common perceptions of Buddhism from a code of living for individuals to a code for the greater collective. The paper agrees with Armstrong's book in asserting that the Buddha was an axial person, who changed the fabric of the society he was living, testing the bounds of convention and personally creating a new school of thought and living into existence.
From the Paper "It is common knowledge that in Buddhist thought, which originated in India and made significant inroads into Chinese and other east Asian societies, there is a belief in the concept of karma. This karma can be likened to the Western concept of fate, although it is not quite the same, in that it shows the importance of destiny and the supposition that the individual's destiny is preordained. This changed the common perception significantly. It was also a factor that Gotama offered universally accessible enlightenment that was not restricted by class or social structure."
Abstract This paper discusses Siddhartha Gautama, who was revered by his disciples (Buddhists) as the Buddha, or the "Awakened One". It describes the history of Buddhism as a distinct religious tradition and the life of the Buddha, Siddhartha Gautama. The paper focuses on the narrative of Buddha's life, his wanderings and his Buddhist followers.
From the Paper "After his mother died Siddhartha was nursed and raised by his mother's sister, who was the second cohort of his father, the King Suddhodana. They lived in the capital Kapilavatthu. His father, the King surrounded his son with luxury and pleasures out of fear that the young prince would abandon his royal place and position and he would not have a successor. He lived the life of privilege in accordance to his father's position, with servants. Historically, "we do not know anything about his physical stature or facial appearance. We know little about his personality with absolute certainty" (Olson, 2005, p.22). Many narrators of the Buddha narrative have attributed Siddhartha with great physical beauty and strength, as well as cleverness and intellect. In due time Siddhartha married a woman named Yasodhara and had a son named Rahula with her."
A comparison of Siddhartha Gautama's (Buddha's) monastic life with that of Maechi Wabi, based on the reading of "Journey of One Buddhist Nun" by S. Brown.
Abstract This paper examines how, just like Siddhartha Gautama (Buddha), the Buddhist nun, Maechi Wabi, also began her journey into Buddhism from a background that otherwise would not shun and not expect her to change her way of life so drastically. It compares and contrasts the story of Buddha with that documented of Maechi Wabi in "Journey of One Buddhist Nun" by S. Brown and shows how the stories are similar, as probably are many stories of people who decide to go against what is normally accepted and listen to their calling, by embarking on journeys that capture the human spirit and enlighten us all on what it truly means to be human and to have happiness.
From the Paper "Like her Lord Buddha, Wabi also had main events in her life. Along her journey towards the Institute of Thai Maechr, Maechi Wabi had to go against the grain by leaving her small rural village and facing emotional and physical obstacles. She was frowned upon by many, and at times, it seemed like an impossible task to become a nun. Her choice to become a religious woman would prove itself to be not as "honorable" in the eyes of society than if she had been a religious man. Maechi Wabi makes decisions based on choice rather than necessity as she enters the Samnak."
Tags: enlightenment, thai, maechr, samnak, nirvana
Abstract This paper is a comparison/contrast of the Confucian concept of human nature with the Buddhist concept of Buddha-nature. The two concepts are extremely different, but they still have much in common.
Abstract This paper looks at the life of Siddharta Gautama Buddha and also some of his teachings. The paper also looks at a story of how Buddha talked to a Queen and discussed philosophical matters concerning life, death and rebirth.
Abstract This paper summarizes and reviews Walpola's study of Buddhism. It explains that one of Rahula's central goals as an author in writing "What the Buddha Taught" was to make Buddhism seem less intimidating to those who were raised in nations where Buddhism was not an integral part of the culture. It explains the religion in laymen's terms and exalts the Buddha.
From the Paper "Throughout his text, What the Buddha Taught, Rahula stresses the simplicity of Buddhist philosophy, rather than dwelling upon the complex mythological structure that forms its nationalist incarnation in nations such as Tibet or Japan. Rahula does give a brief and engaging introduction to the basic biography of the historical Buddha, but his main focus is to distill the principal tenants of Buddhism into a basic structure of speech, thought, and action for students of Buddhism in American and students studying introductions to religion in university classes (in which his text is now almost universally required) across the American nation. Rahula's own theological project in writing the book, as such, was to create an accessible form of Buddhism for aspiring Western practitioners, so that they may feel that they too, can enact the actions, words, and life of the Buddha after reading the book and for those who did not wish to practice, to at least gain respect for the tradition from which he came."
Abstract This paper consists of a comparison and contrast of a Gupta period image of a seated Buddha in meditation with Rodin's "The Thinker". The philosophic and social contexts of each work are discussed.
Abstract This paper takes a close look at the notion of masculinity in Hanif Kureishi's acclaimed British novel, "The Buddha of Suburbia", as this masculine notion applies to the music that Kureishi invokes within his novel. It first looks at the masculine music of the early 1970s, followed by the ultra-masculine and -aggressive punk that followed, and finally to the emasculated point at which popular music ended up. It also looks at the authors views on changing and differing ideas of what is masculine.
From the Paper "In England and in the United States, the 1970s was an era of decadence as well as innocence. Before much was known about the dangers of drugs and the perils of promiscuity, this was a time when many lived life to its fullest and most self-indulgent. The music of this time mirrored the cultural transformation of the conservative postwar years to that of the swinging 60s and 70s. This change corresponded with a lessening in the difference between the genders, one where masculine and feminine notions were blurred and toyed with, where androgyny became almost a norm, at least among the younger, hipper culture. The music of the time relayed this gender message, as well. "
Abstract This paper discusses the book, "Buddha" by Karen Armstrong and discusses its relationship to the Axial Age, the phrase for the pivotal time in history that Karl Jaspers, the philosopher, coined. The paper begins by describing the Axial Age and its characteristics in various places around the world. It then discusses how Armstrong's references in her book relate to the historical view of the time.
Table of Contents:
Introduction: The Axial Age and its Characteristics
The Axial Age Transformations in Greece, China and Palestine
From the Paper "According to Armstrong, all the prophets and sages of the Axial Age discovered, simultaneously, that the way to a higher, transcendent, more fully human life was by looking within and discovering self-existing, self-liberating, inner truths. Common to these spiritual movements, as well, was that 'compassion towards others' would lead to a more meaningful, freer life in this world. It was a pivotal, revolutionary thought that, centuries later, is still at the root of our traditional religions and still presents a challenge, while resonating an inner conviction of its truth."
Abstract This paper explains that "The Buddha of Suburbia" by Hanif Kureishi presents the struggles of a Indian teenager, Karim, which are crucial aspects of post-colonial identity within the suburbs of England. The author points out that the "Englishness" of Karim and his family members are thwarted when his father decides to return to his Buddhist faith, raising questions of Indian identity within the family unit. The paper relates that the post-colonial elements of this novel are revealed through Karim and his father's desire to be Indian against the dominating colonizing principles of English society. The paper includes quotations.
From the Paper "The early post-colonial elements of "The Buddha of Suburbia" revolve around the main character, Karim, and Indian teenager living in middle class British suburbs. Karim's father, Haroon, had essentially become "British" in every aspect of his life but suddenly has an epiphany to become a devote Buddhist. This causes a great conflict to those native English people in their lives, which is caused by the "native" return to religious principles that Karim's father wishes to explore. Karim's narrative defines the inherent racism of the English people... "
Abstract This paper explains that the movie "Little Buddha" presents the viewers with principal concepts within the Buddhist religion: the practice of meditation, the idea of impermanence and the importance of emptiness. The author tells the plot of the film, which centers on a young boy from Seattle who is conceived to be a possible candidate of the reincarnation of well-known Tibetan monk and teacher, Lama Dorje. The paper relates a scene in the film about the life of Siddhartha from which the author learned more by the visual images than she probably would have if she had just heard the Siddhartha's life story being told verbally.
From the Paper "The concept of emptiness was a noticeably important element throughout the film. The Four Noble Truths try to demonstrate how one can attain Enlightenment by detaching one's mind from one's body, therefore emptying the body of all thought. The body becomes useless because it can feel nothing. In Buddhism, the mind is the most important part of a living creature; the body it chooses, whether it be a human, an animal, etc. is simply where the mind resides due to past life experiences. The connection between the idea of emptiness and the Four Noble Truths is that the Noble Truths attempt to teach beings how to achieve Nirvana by releasing their minds from their bodies and allowing them to be free in the universe without suffering."
Abstract This paper compares the Crucifixion scene from the door panels of Santa Sabine in Rome and the "Seated Buddha" from the Gandharan region of Northwest Pakistan. The author describes each of the artworks, relating their historical context and discussing symbols in the artworks that represent cultural clues to how life might have been in the time they were made. The author concludes that although these two artworks were made in different times and in very different cultural settings, they are similar in the sense that they are both representatives of the cultures that created them, especially related to religion and how common men and women viewed not only themselves but also the spiritual world.
From the Paper "In conclusion, Crucifixion and the Seated Buddha are true representatives of the cultures that created them, especially related to religion and how common men and women viewed not only themselves but also the spiritual world. Not surprisingly, both of these artworks, despite coming from very different cultural backgrounds, provides a sense of awe and wonder and allows the viewer to ponder the mysteries of life in a reflective and meditative state of grace."
